James Darren git teen idol singer and director dies at 88 James Darren a Teen Idol who helped ignite the 1960s surfing craze as a charismatic Beach Boy paired off with Sandra d in the hit film gig died Monday at 88 Darren died in his sleep at a Los Angeles hospital his son Jim Mor told news outlets Mor told The Hollywood Reporter that Darren was supposed to have had an aortic valve replacement but was too weak for the surgery I always thought he would pull through his son told the entertainment trade because he was so cool he was always cool in his long career Darren acted sang and built up a successful behind the scenes career as a television director helming episodes of such well-known series as Beverly Hills 90210 and Melrose Place in the 1980s he was Officer Jim Corgan on the television cop show TJ hooker but to Young movie fans of the late 1950s he would be remembered best as Mund doggy the dark-haired Surfer boy in the smash 1959 release gig d as the title character a spunky Southern Californian who hits the beach and eventually falls in love with Mundi I was in love with Sandra Darren later recalled I thought that she was absolutely perfect as gig she had tremendous charm